LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- As ESPN 150 defensive end Tim Williams (Baton Rouge, La./ University Lab) nears national signing day, all that remains between him and choosing a school is a few official visits.

Up first is a trip to Alabama on January 11, Miami on the 18th and Florida State on the 25th. Williams will decide whether or not to take an official to LSU or Texas A&M at some point, too.

Among his finalists, it seems all have a common thread.

"I like the family atmosphere and how they recruit you," he said. "They recruit your character and your personality. When they talk to you, it isn't always about football and all that. I like how they seem like mentors."

Williams isn't too concerned about campus life or the surrounding area. He just wants to develop as a football player.

Whichever coaching staff can make the proper impression will have a leg up.

"I just think it has to be a feeling I get because I have to spend four years at that college," he said. "I just want the coaches to impress me. I'm not all into the campus or the big city or all of that. I just want guys that can help me get better."

Florida State, which just had to replace its defensive ends coach, will have to convince Williams that new assistant Sal Sunseri is the guy for the job. Coach D.J. Eliot's departure to Kentucky had a minimal effect, though.

Assistant coach Dameyune Craig has primarily dealt with Williams even when Eliot was around.

"Coach Craig tells me that he is a fiery coach, a great coach just like Eliot," Williams said of Sunseri. "He just wants me to know that I am going to get great coaching when I go there. He just made it clear that they want me and they brought in a coach that can develop my skills."